Yuna's Final Choice
by Traider1000
Summary: a story told mostly through Lulu's perspective on Yuna's choice on being a Summoner and the Final Summoning. Not finished (work in progress)
1. A Fiend Too Strong

Hey everyone, this is an updated version from a beta reading I had one of my friends do for me. It should be an easier read now. Don't worry this story isn't done, I will post more chapters shortly. Enjoy and always remeber to support Lucifer Yaway (LOL)  
  
  
  
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Chapter 1: A Fiend Too Strong  
  
Beta Read by Erato 227  
  
  
  
The noon sunshine glistened off from the shining waters of Spira. Lulu looked on intently the sun formed its own little mirror on top of the water's surface. She hadn't had much sleep the whole time they waited for the shoopuf to land, and even then the girl they found had distracted them and they took a break before continuing on towards Guadosolam. The six of them, well now seven, if she wanted to count the Al Bhed child a member of their party, or even a guardian for that matter, had been on Yuna's pilgrimage.  
  
Lulu could remember the first time they left the Island of Besaid. She had been crying deep down inside from Yuna's determination to sacrifice herself for the people of Spira from Sin's madness. The tears welled up in her even now as she gazed at the water thinking and contemplating her life. She didn't know what brought on the sudden interest , but the more she thought of it, the more important it all was. She wasn't even sure if she would survive the battle with Sin.  
  
She pulled at the moogle doll in her hand that had been given to her by an old woman in Besaid, making sure the pompom was straight and tugging at the loosening strands of string on the doll. The old women who gave it to her said that she had obtained it from a traveling Summoner who said that it was blessed with the Master Maester's holy Yevoness powers. The old women had become like Lulu's mother. She had cared for her when Lulu received the wound from the fiend in the Kilika forest. Lulu remembered how the old woman nursed her wound for her and how she never forgot about Lulu's well being. The moogle doll had been a birthday present.  
  
Lulu gave a small sigh, then went on to just staring at the water. She was kind of irritated at the thought of stopping on such an important pilgrimage of High Summoner Braska's daughter. She heard movement in the bushes. A petite girl came over to her and slumped down on a rock. She was energetic before when they first met her, but something had made her solemn and withdrawn.  
  
"Rikku, was it?" Lulu asked the girl.  
  
"Yeah," Rikku replied hesitantly.  
  
Rikku had seen how short-tempered this woman had seemed and was scared that the woman wanted an explanation of why she was going to kidnap Yuna. Rikku played with a loose strand of her hair and looked at the water's edge waiting further questions from the strange gothic looking woman.  
  
"You don't have to be scared of me. Yuna has told me all about her lineage and how the two of you are related. So how is Cid?"  
  
"He's fine, a little upset , but he's good," replied Rikku, a little more confidently then before.  
  
"Upset?" Lulu inquired.  
  
"Huh. Yeah. He's angry of not only just how Yuna's going on her pilgrimage, but at how all the other summoners can throw away their lives."  
  
Lulu understood where the girl was coming from. She herself had felt angry at Yuna's decision to follow in her father's footsteps, but Yuna was commited to bringing the Calm to Spira. This little brat had no right to bad-mouth any of the summoners' decisions. It was the only way to stop Sin, and not all of the summoners would be able to overcome the myriad of obstacles on their journeys.  
  
"Throw away their lives? Do you think that's all the pilgrimage is about, young lady. It is the only way to defeat Sin, and your sacrilege will not go unnoted. Have respect for the Summoners, Rikku. They are the only ones, the ONLY ones who can bring all of Spira peace."  
  
"But Sin always comes back, right? So what is the point of the Calm if it's not for ever? Why does Yunie have to die? Why!!? There's no point in all this. It's stupid and as for my views being sacrilege, I hear that Yevon isn't all that's it's cook up to be." She gave Lulu a hateful stare to which Lulu just replied "it's the only way," over and over again while she walked further on into the forest.  
  
Rikku stared at the water trying to think of any way possible to stop Yuna. She wasn't going to let Yuna die. Never would she let the Final Summoning take place. She sighed. Rikku had tried so hard to take Yuna back to Home so they could live peaceful lives together. A small tear crept down Rikku's cheek. She brushed it slightly with her gloved hand and continue on devouring with her eyes the water's beauty and calmness.  
  
They were going to Guadosolam, the home of Seymor Guado. Seymor was going to help Yuna on her journey. As they trudged up the field, Wakka decided that they should head to the inn in Guadosolam; they were all tired and agreed with the idea.  
  
Just as they were reaching the bend of the Moonflow foreast, a giant Ochu attacked. It curved its tentacles in intricate ways distracting Tidus. Tidus didn't see the beast until it hit him with a whack from its slimy tentacle. He groaned at the pain, his blond locks floating like feathers as he hit the ground. Yuna went over to him to resuscitate him immediately, but the beast let out a smoky defense which the Crusaders had fore warned was its Ochu Dance. They were all put to sleep and blinded. The beast lashed out at Rikku hitting her in the abdomen. She held her hand on the pulsating wound trying to remain conscious, but the gas was too much and she fazed out falling on the ground in a liveless heap. Lulu looked around. This is what she was scared of most, a fiend that would be too strong to overcome. 


	2. The Mighty Ochu's Last Stand

Hey everybody. Yup this is a revised version of chapter 2. Same as before, I think it should be an easier read. One thing I forgot to mention about the previous revision is that this won't be the last. This is sort of an outline, albeit in depth, but it's still only an outline and will be revised countless times until it is professional. Note to readers: I'm a perfectionist. As always support Lucifer Yaway  
  
  
  
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Chapter 2: The Mighty Ochu's Last Stand  
  
Beta Read by Erato 227  
  
Balancing on its thick body, the Ochu lashed at everyone in the group. Auron was smacked across the face with so much force that he was thrown towards Lulu's feet. She looked down, past her dress comprised of leather belts towards where Auron's badly beaten body lay. She knelt down, peering into his eyes, his face. They seemed dormant. Lifeless. The screams of pain emanating from Yuna's usually timid voice awakened her. Yuna was bleeding from her head, the little droplets of blood falling on the ground like rain.  
  
"Yuna!!!!!!!!!!" Lulu exclaimed.  
  
She ran towards her Summoner, trying as quickly as possible to get to her. All around her, her comrades fought valiantly trying to save the young summoner. Kimhari ducked under the tendril coming at him, but failed to see the other one looming underneath ready to sabotage him. His expression was one of confusion. He hit the ground with surprising force. Lulu heard the loud thud of the Ronso's body, the leather armor moaning as it hit the ground. His spear was a few feet from him, and if she could, she would have helped him back up, but not now. Now she had to save Yuna, her life; everyone's life depended on it.  
  
Tidus was knocked out and moaning as the gaseous cloud enveloped the party putting them all to sleep. No matter how hard they all tried, they couldn't awaken from the spell; it was too strong. Random thoughts raced through his head. He couldn't believe that this fiend was so strong; its power was unbelievable. He had seen one in the Kilika forest earlier, but this one was overwhelmingly powerful. He heard, as if in a trance, screams. Screams from his comrades, screams from Yuna. Yuna. He had to get to her. He focused all his strength in opening his eyes, but the pain and the burning was unbearable. He was able to feel his arm and moved it on the dirt floor of the forest blindly. He grabbed hold of the hilt of his blade, feeling the familiar touch of steel. He knew the touch; it was like a part of him. Auron had given it to him it during their encounter in 'his' Zanarkand. The blade was heavy at first, but in no time at all he was used to the feel, the power and abilities of the weapon. Unfortuantely the Ochu saw this and pulled back one of its tentacles, then very suddenly after gathering as much strength as possible, he lashed out hitting Tidus. The impact made Tidus scream. What made the wound worst was the stingy sensation that was left by the rough surface of the tendril.  
  
Lulu heard everything happening all around her, but she had to get to Yuna. The beast lashed out at her making her trip over Rikku's body, making the poor girl scream worsening the already unbearable pains. Lulu drew in her the only thing she knew well, the touch of magic. She had trained hard to become a mage and had done what she was about to do countless times. Finding in her the inherent powers she had come to know so well, she unleashed a fiery frenzy on the beast. A ball of flames erupted at the creature, lapping it in burning wisps of fire. It distracted the beast for just a second, but proved successful as Lulu was able to get to Yuna and grab her out of harm's way.  
  
"Yuna, Yuna are you OK?" she inquired softly  
  
"Uhhh…umm…" Yuna was breathless and had lost her voice. The pain was too strong and hindered her from replying.  
  
"Yuna, you have to summon. We can rest later"  
  
Yuna instantly recognized the word: summon. It was everything to her. Her life. She had trained to be strong, to be accepted by the Aeons. She staggered to her feet, calling on Valefor, the very first Aeon she had acquired from her home in Besaid. It was the toughest to obtain, but her conviction for bringing the Calm was so strong that the Aeon ultimately agreed to assist her on her pilgrimage.  
  
The sky darkened above them, turning into dark grays and blacks, until finally it ripped open and a phoenix-like bird emerged. Magnificent crimson feathers covered its purplish skin. It dropped, nose-diving towards the fiend attacking the summoner. A bright ball of light began to come forth from its mouth. Its beak opened and unleashed the growing energy at the beast. Yuna felt the power of the lights whizzing by her towards their intended target like homing missiles. She immediately took off, trying to help her comrades. She went towards Tidus, looked into his face and saw the amount of pain he was taking being plastered on his face. His anguished features scared Yuna. She never knew that her journey would be this dangerous. The whole realization of death was becoming all too apparent. She brushed it aside, letting out a small laugh to brighten her spirits and called forth her shaman powers. The life seemed to return to Tidus' awry face, returning his vision and his eyes. Yuna took a moment looking into the ghostly images of his eyes, taking into account all the details. She wanted a mental picture for herself of his eyes to occupy her in her death which was to inevitably come.  
  
"Yuna?" Tidus stared blindly as he remembered what had happened. He grabbed for the sword as he flipped himself towards the enemy. Building up strength in his attack, he was able to slam the sword into the fiend with so much intensity that it severed a tentacle.  
  
Valefor was gathering energy to unleash another attack on the fiend. He flew up into the air to avoid the lashing appendages. One nicked him in the wing, slightly altering his altitude, but he easily overcame it. The Aeon saw how desperate the situation was but he believed in Yuna's abilities. He tried hard to recover the lost stamina and assist in the dangerous battle.  
  
Yuna walked past the flying shadow towards Auron. The old man smelled of death, but the funny thing was he always had a presence like that. It was strange, but Yuna had no time to entertain her mind with this meaningless subject. She quickly approached him. The young summoner knelt down and brought his life back to him immediately. His black leather boots stampeded away. Moments later the shrill sound of the beast was heard; Auron had made a direct hit. The Aeon did amazing visuals, flipping itself and unleashing a tidal wave of powerful energies that brought the mighty Ochu down. The beast threw his greenish plant-like tentacles everywhere. It felt death coming on. The Farplane called to it. The gigantic creature slammed into the ground after emitting an eerie cry.  
  
"Did I miss something, ya?" Wakka asked as he propped himself up.  
  
"Oh nothing. Just a big weed that we had no problems defeating, Wakka," replied Tidus. His overconfidence irritated Lulu.  
  
Rikku blinked her eyes, surveying the dismantled fiend as the pyre flies slowly left the massive carcass. Slowly, she lifted herself. The whipping of the tentacles had left an impression on her arm. Blood flowed from the wound tracing its way down her arm until it hit the soil of the ground.  
  
"Yunie, can you help me?"  
  
"Sure." Yuna walked slowly towards the Al Bhed child, clambering her way past one of the dead creatures' thick tentacles which was dispersing with pyre flies. She saw that there was no apparent wound from the brief examination she made of Rikku's body. Her clothes were just a little ruffled, and there was a scrape on her knee, but aside from that, she saw nothing disastrous about the girl's current condition. Then the girl slowly turned around, rotating her boot against the dirt, scuffing up a cloud of debris. Yuna was shocked at the wound on the Al Bhed girl's abdomen , but she touched and healed the poor girl's arm, making sure everything was ok.  
  
"Thanks, Yuna," Rikku said as she scurried away to see how the rest of the team fared.  
  
Lulu saw them, her team, her friends, her comrades as they ran around making sure everybody was alright. She was amazed that they were able to beat the foe, but this didn't bode well. The journey was long, and there would be foes stronger than this that they would come across. She let out a deep sigh as she looked out towards the water, contemplating, thinking. 


	3. Rikku's Secret

Chapter 3: Rikku's Secret  
  
  
  
Their arrival at Guadosolam was welcoming. It seemed as if they were invited, that all of Guadosolam was in a state of happiness that Lady Yuna and her Guardians would grace the presence of this strange city. The caves in which the Guado lived were exquisitely crafted. The lights were vibrant and cheery; it seemed that they never were shut off and that this whimsical place was the most majestically crafted place than any other city in Spira. The seven of them entered the cool refreshing cave. The destination was unanimous; they would rest at the inn.  
  
If it weren't for Yuna, they would look like a group of Crusaders who just manage to escape Sin's power. They had all been badly hurt in the previous battle, but thanks to Yuna's strength and undying compassion for her Guardians they were saved. Tidus caught a glisp of Yuna as they entered the inn. He saw how the pleated flower patern skirt swaying as her boots clicked the hollowed-out base of the cave. how her hair bounce with every step she took; he reveled at her beauty.  
  
The walls and furnishings of the inn were a perfect match for the outside décor. The amazing part was that Guadosolam didn't even look like a cave at all, it looked like the Farplanes that were amazingly the prime destination for any traveler of these parts. The Farplanes was the place were all dead creatures went. Where all the fiends and sent gathered. The realization of it all was amazing; one could see their relatives, their love ones, their friends who died long ago at the Farplanes.  
  
"Well I'm tired from all that walking, ya. I hope that they don't charge an arm and a leg for this." Wakka complained  
  
Yuna had noticed a familiar face sitting in the waiting area of the inn. Her Yevoness robes hung low to the ground and the mousey voice that she heard may times was unmistakable; it was Shelinda. The first time the group had met this determined woman was on the Mi' ihen Highroad. She was enraged at the Crusaders, a group dedicating their lives for the banishment of Sin, for using Sinspawn to call Sin in an attempt to defeat with the forbidden Al Bhed machina. After that the young priestess had followed the group wherever they went, Yuna believed that the woman's destination was Bevelle, the holiest city in all of Spira and the destination of all priestesses.  
  
"Shelinda"  
  
The shy priestess looked up at the familiar Summoner's face  
  
"Summoner Yuna. How have you been? Are you hurt I can heal all of you?"  
  
"No need. We will rest for the night at this inn."  
  
Shelinda changed the subject, instead towards the reason why they had all come here. "I hear that Measter Seymour would like an audience with you. Do you know what he desires from your sevcices, my lady."  
  
"No, but knowing Seymour, he will help me in my journey." Yuna replied slighty blushing. Ever since they first met the Grand Measter, she had had a strange attraction for him. He wasn't as handsome as Tidus was, although she would try to never tell him that. It was just that the aura surrounding the half Guado was strange, almost enticing. She sat down on the comfortable sofa next to Shelinda.  
  
"Tidus will you go get us a room, please." the flustered girl was getting embarrassed.  
  
"Sure."  
  
Tidus talked to the friendly Guado, and the proprietor made sure rooms were made available for the seven of them. "Thank you. How much will that cost?" The young warrior asked.  
  
"No charge at all. Maester Seymour has requested an audience with Summoner Yuna, and all expenses will be paid, but the Maester would gladly appreciate it if you would talk with him now." the Guado replied, then quickly put in, as if not seeming rude. "if it is of no bother to you."  
  
"Yuna?"  
  
"Huh…oh yes, why of course we will see Seymour now."  
  
Over in the corner, the quiet Mage requested, "I want to see Chappu."  
  
"What?" Tidus was shocked. He was new to this world and 'his' Zanarkand was slighty different from Spira. He couldn't believe the rumor of seeing the dead was actually truthful. "I thought Chappu died."  
  
Lulu was saddened. She knew that Chappu was indead dead and had moved on, but the image of him was never taken away. She couldn't believe what was happening. What Tidus was saying. Wakka saw that Lulu was about to unleash her tears, the only time that she would ever unleash her sorrow tears.  
  
"The Farplane is a sacred place where we are allowed to see the dead, ya" Wakka quickly replied making sure that Lulu wouldn't lose her composure. "Chappu may have died before, but we are able to see him again in the Farplane."  
  
"We are able to see the memories of the dead, Tidus." Lulu replied making sure she wouldn't lose her stern manner. Even though she despised the image of herself, she liked the authority that was given to her de facto.  
  
"Really!!?" Tidus was overwhelmed at the thought. But then he remember that Jecht wasn't dead. He wouldn't be able to see his father. Jecht was Sin. The sheer agony of the pain of it all was too powerful.  
  
"Yes, I will be able to see my mother and father again as well. That sounds like a great idea, Lulu." Yuna replied, a little hint of happiness in her voice.  
  
Tidus was saddened by her reply. How could they all be happy that they could talk with the people that died, it wasn't the same, right. Jecht was Sin. Why couldn't Jecht be dead? Then maybe Tidus could've seen his father again. He ran out, his footfalls echoing as he disappeared back outside.  
  
He was angry, furious. It just wasn't fair. Why did he have to suffer? The others, even though they lost people that they cared about, could easily see them again. The anger swelled up inside him. He wanted to punch something. He wanted to just scream, but that never worked. He ran back towards the entrance of the city and slammed his fist with so much aggresion that the mighty rock was scared. The wound look like it was part of a person. It burrowed deep into the depths of the rock.  
  
"Tidus?" Rikku spoke slowly making sure not to enraged Tidus again. She had seen him leave the inn in a hurry and was becoming to be worried. She ran after him almost immediately while the others look on, conversing with each other and talking to familiar faces. "What's wrong, did we say something that offended you," the Al Bhed girl blinked her eyes to emphasize the sincerest sympathy as she quietly asked.  
  
"It's not fair, why does Sin exist. Why do people have to die. Why!!?" The last outburst sounded more like a sob.  
  
Rikku didn't care if Tidus was crying, men could cry when they wanted to, especially if death was the reason for their wallowing. "It's OK to be upset."  
  
Tidus blinked at her, confused. He tried to calm himself down before he would have to go back into the inn to talk with Yuna again as if nothing ever happened. He hated that. The aggresion slowly receded back into his body and the pain from the impact of the wall started to throb. He hadn't felt the pain before because he was immune to it; that's what made him such a great fighter. In the heat of battle wounds were trivial.  
  
"Hey, what if I tell you something. It might calm you down, OK?" Rikku nervously offered.  
  
"Yeah…sure…whatever."  
  
"Well I've never told this to anyone, but there was someone that I cared about, too you know. You could even say that I loved him." She blushed slighty. "He was strong and the best Al Bhed fighter there was, but one day when fiends insurrected our compound, Home, his strength wasn't enough. He may have been strong, but his aggresion made him stupid. Instead of listening to Cid not to go after the fiends headon, he did." A small tear formed at the corner of Rikku's eyes. "He was trampeled and beaten until he became a bloody mess on the ground." The tears were fervidly streaming down her face. "Don't you see, anger, it's…it's stupid. There's no point to it. It clouds our minds and makes us the same as the fiends."  
  
Tidus wrapped his arms around the poor distraught child and realized that what she was saying was important. Fighting was a necessity, aggression and stupidity weren't. His storming out of the inn and trying to bring all the sorrow onto himself wasn't right. Rikku may have seemed immature to him at first, but her intelligence and true-to-life ways matured her in years Tidus couldn't dream of. He knew that a stupid comment wouldn't sanctify the parameters of the conversation, so he just held her in his arms. Whispering to her, "You're right…you understand everything…everything that you say is the truth."  
  
She was so wrapped up in Tidus affections that she forget the others were looking. She quickly jumped up and blurted out something. "Tidus is so courageous. I think I lost it, I was so scared Yuna, that I came out and cried from the terror of everything. Tidus came and held me in his arms and told me that everything would be alright. He calmed me down. I didn't know what to do." The cover-up was very much appreciated by Tidus. He, like Lulu, had images that they needed to keep. They couldn't lose their tempors easily in the face of adversity.  
  
"Oh. Well I'm just glad that you're OK. Don't run out like that again, I thought something bad happened to you guys" Yuna replied sympathetically.  
  
As Tidus got up, he whispered into her ears, "Thank you."  
  
They walked up the stretching walkways towards the Farplanes. Auron was uneasy, he had to avoid them. What would he do? What could he do? Thoughts raced through his head of Yunalesca, of Braska, and of Jecht. What would he do? 


End file.
